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Bantam girls strike for silver

The Westlock Bantam Girls Rock brushed off a loss and climbed up the ranks to finish second in the Greater Edmonton Lacrosse League playoffs.
The Westlock Bantam Girls Rock had a great year, netting a silver in the GELC playoffs. Back Row, L-R: assistant coach Norm Brill, assistant coach Bob Hnatko, Alisha
The Westlock Bantam Girls Rock had a great year, netting a silver in the GELC playoffs. Back Row, L-R: assistant coach Norm Brill, assistant coach Bob Hnatko, Alisha Boulerice, Mackenzie Sawchuk, Emily Hnatko, Abbie McCormick, Emily Hegedus, Paytyn McNelly, Madison Howse and head coach Denise Boulerice. Middle Row, L-R: Denise Greanya, Reese Olsen, Jordie Weir, Jade Isaac, Michaela Craig and Georgia Sawchuk. Front Row, L-R: Paige Brill and Taylor Goller. Missing is manager Dani Sawchuk.

The Westlock Bantam Girls Rock brushed off a loss and climbed up the ranks to finish second in the Greater Edmonton Lacrosse League playoffs.

After losing their second game June 22 and going down in the draw of the double elimination, the Rock battled their way back, pressing hard and shutting down the opposition.

“They were all super close games, either into overtime or a one-goal difference coming down to those last few seconds,” said head coach Denise Boulerice. “Really really exciting and stressful for coaches and parents, but in the end lots and lots of fun.”

The Rock conquered Sherwood Park Titans 1 in a 5-4 tęte-ŕ-tęte June 26 in the semis, and then moved on to face their counterparts, the Titans 2, in the finals June 27. The girls battled hard but ultimately came off on the losing side of the 5-4 match up.

“Couldn’t ask for a better finish,” Boulerice said. “Our last three or four games were tight and the overtime wins against teams that beat us all season. It was fun.

“The girls really earned it and I think they’re all ready to come back next year.”

The girls will move up to form a midget team next year and see where that takes them, but already coaches from other teams are keeping an eye on Westlock.

Boulerice said she had compliments from the other coaches about the girls’ performance, which had some of them worried when they saw the Rock creeping up the ranks in league play.

“I don’t think it was expected of us, but my girls stepped it up and put everything together and I think surprised a bunch of people,” she said. “I had phone calls and e-mails from other coaches congratulating us and wanting to know how we put it all together. I don’t really have an answer. I just know the girls worked hard all season and continually asked questions and fixed what wasn’t working.

“We’ve always been the stronger battling team in terms of effort and running and pressure, so if we could shut down their offence and stay with our defensive plan, than that’s what happened. You just keep winning and going further.”

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